Railway-tie.



Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

Him

FRANCIS B. I-IUCKSTEP, OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

RAILWAY-TIE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

Application filed January 28, 1909. Serial No. 474,796.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS B. HUoK- s'rnr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Ties, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to that class of railway-ties commonly known as composite ties; and it consists of a metal base of novel construction and wooden rail-supports or chairs, removably secured in specially devised seats, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

The objects sought to be accomplished by the invention are two fold; first, to simplify and cheapen the cost of construction of this particular type of tie, and second, to prolong its life. Other objects will become apparent upon a full disclosure of the inven tion.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved tie; Fig. 2, a perspective view of the metal base; Fig. 3, a top plan view of the same, and Fig. 4, a perspective view of one of the wooden railsupports or chairs.

Referring to the several views, the numeral 1 indicates the metal base, preferably cast iron, and 2, the rail-supports or chairs.

The base 1 is formed at each end with two vertical, parallel flanges 3, 3, between which a seat 4, is provided for the rail-support or chair 2. Each vertical side is strengthened by struts or braces 5, 5, and is provided with vertical slots 6, 6, through which pass the clamping bolts 7, 7, which secure the railsupports in place, which latter is provided with openings 8 to receive the bolts. The base, in its entirety, is preferably cast integral, and its central portion may be of reduced width to save metal and thereby reduce the cost of construction.

The rail-support or chair is preferably square in cross-section, and may be of any desired length, and of a height sufficient to extend a suitable distance above the upper edges of the vertical flanges to prevent contact therewith. When the supports are worn down until the rails are nearly in contact with the upper edges of the flanges, the supports may be removed and the opposite sides or edges used as seats for the rails, the vertical slots in the sides 3, allowing for the adjustment of the clamping-bolts to coincide with the holes in the rail-supports.

It will be noted by reference to Fig. 2 that the opposed ends of the flanges are oppositely beveled, and by reference to Fig. 1 that the chairs are of greater length than the flanges and extend inward beyond the beveled ends thereof. The object of this arrangement is to protect the flanges from injury should the chairs become rust-locked, as the portions of the chairs that project beyond the inner ends of the flanges will present surfaces to receive the blows of a hammer without danger of striking the flanges.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, is

A railway-tie comprising a metal base provided at each end with vertical, parallel, laterally reinforced flanges furnished with vertical slots, the opposed ends of the flanges being beveled in opposite directions, and rail-supports arranged between the flanges and provided with orifices to register with the slots of the flanges, the opposed ends of the supports projecting beyond the beveled ends of the flanges to present striking surfaces, and clamping bolts engaging the slots of the flanges and orifices of the supports.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS B. HUCKSTEP.

Witnesses:

F. L. GRAESBEGK, W. G. BURROW. 

